What You Get at Algiecel As Lead Microalgae Scientist
This is a rare opportunity to take a central scientific leadership role in a well-funded, purpose-driven biotech company moving from R&D and pilot scale toward industrial reality.
At Algiecel, we go beyond business. Our mission is to nourish the world with natural, protein- and omega-3-rich ingredients, contributing to more sustainable food, feed and cosmetic industries through microalgae-based solutions. We bring together biology, engineering, and data to transform CO₂ into valuable products, and we’re looking for a Lead Microalgae Scientist to join our amazing team.
The Role
We are seeking a Lead Microalgae Scientist to drive and expand our biology R&D efforts in lab and pilot scale.
This is a hands-on scientific leadership role where you will own and drive the development and performance of our microalgae platform, from strain development and characterization through scale-up and pilot operations. You will act as the scientific anchor of the organization, ensuring that biological insights translate into robust, scalable processes and real customer value.
You and the R&D team will work with engineering, and operations teams across our sites in Taastrup and Kalundborg, playing a key role in scaling our technology towards commercial deployment.
Key Responsibilities
Scientific Leadership & Strategy
- Define and drive the biology R&D roadmap aligned with company and scale-up goals
- Act as the internal expert on microalgae biology, cultivation, and performance optimization
- Translate scientific results into scalable solutions, product-relevant outcomes, and IP
- Develop a data-driven biology strategy integrating experimental and omics data
Strain & Process Development
- Lead strain screening, characterization, and optimization for productivity, robustness, and target composition (e.g. protein, omega-3)
- Design and execute experiments in algal physiology, photosynthesis, and cultivation systems
- Drive improvements in growth rates, photosynthetic efficiency, and biomass quality
Cross-Functional and External Collaborations
- Work closely with engineering and operations teams in scale-up and process integration
- Support downstream processing, product development, and quality control of biomass
- Contribute to translating biology into customer value propositions
- Build strategic partnerships with academia, biotech companies, and technology providers, and represent the company in external forums.
- Support fundraising and grant applications with strong scientific narratives
Team & Capability Building
- Lead and mentor R&D team members, fostering a strong scientific culture
- Build internal expertise in microalgae cultivation and bioprocessing
- Contribute to recruitment and development of future team members
About You
Profile
- Passionate about your profession and ambitions
- Systems thinking; ability to connect biology, engineering, and commercial outcomes
- Ability to operate across uncertainty and incomplete data, and comfortable challenging assumptions and exploring unconventional solutions
- Action-oriented and pragmatic
- Strong communicator, ability to translate complex science into clear business decisions and ability to constructively influence stakeholders
Must-have Qualifications
- PhD in biotechnology, microbiology, biochemistry, biology or a related field
- 5+ years of experience working with microalgae or photosynthetic systems
- Strong expertise in algal physiology, cultivation systems, and experimental design
- Proven experience translating lab-scale biology into pilot or industrial settings
- Scientific leadership experience
- Hands-on, pragmatic approach, and eager to learn
- Proficient in English (we are 7 different nationalities in Algiecel) and able to communicate and collaborate across disciplines and cultural backgrounds
- EU work permit and willingness to relocate to CPH area
Nice-to-have Qualifications
- Industry experience in biosolutions, fermentation, or microalgae production
- Experience with photobioreactors or large-scale cultivation systems
- Experience with strain improvement, metabolic engineering, or omics tools
- Track record of scaling biological systems from R&D to demonstration or production
- Experience contributing to product development or customer-facing applications
Practical Information
- Location: Taastrup, Greater Copenhagen Area, Denmark
- Work setup: Split between lab, pilot, and occasional on-site demonstration plant work
- Flexibility: Occasional outside normal workings hours required to support operations, travel or special tasks
- Reporting to: Head of Technology
- Start date: As soon as possible
What You Get at Algiecel
This is a role for someone who wants more than a traditional specialist position. At Algiecel, you will become a central scientific voice in a company that is scaling microalgae technology from pilot work toward industrial deployment.
You will have real ownership of the biology roadmap, strong influence on technical decisions, and the opportunity to shape how we build our future R&D capabilities. Your work will move directly from experiments and biological insights into pilot-scale learning, product performance, and customer value.
You will work in a hands-on, international, and highly collaborative environment where biology, engineering, operations, and commercial thinking come together. We value curiosity, pragmatism, scientific depth, and the ability to turn complex challenges into practical progress.
We offer a competitive salary package, health insurance, and an annual collective team-based bonus plan.
Most importantly, you will join a purpose-driven company where your expertise can help create more sustainable ingredients for food, feed, and cosmetic applications - and where your contribution will be visible, valued, and important.
Apply Now
Black Swans Exist is managing the recruitment process on behalf of Algiecel. If you have questions about the position, please feel free to contact our recruiter Søren Spanner Bach. Please submit your CV via the application link. We review applications on a rolling basis and look forward to hearing from you.
Curious to learn more about Algiecel and their mission?
Visit https://www.algiecel.com/
Get to know our founder and CEO in this podcast episode called "Succession planning: Passing on the CEO baton in Algiecel" with Susanne Palsten Buchardt & Henrik Busch-Larsen"
